The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-01-20
THE ERA OF PEACE.
lzr. Grady's Grand Grafton and seHarper's
Weekly's" Hearty Comments Upon It.

THE ERA OF PEACE.
kr. Grady's Grand Grafton and stHarpers
Weehly's" Hearty Comments Upon It.
The new South has found striking
and significant expression in the ap-
pearance of Mr.. Trenholm, of South
Carolina, the Comptroller of the Cur
rency, and Mr.. Grady, of Georgia, the
editor of the Atlanta Constitution, as
guests at the annual dinner of the New
England Society, in Philadelphia and
New York respectively. The strain of
remark at these noted dinners is al
ways patriotic, and the speeches natur-
ally teen with glowing and tender allu-
sions to the civil war and the Union sol
diers. 1t was signal sign, therefore,
of the actual situation that two of the
strongest Confederates should rise in
the midst of such a Northern company
as gather at these dinners, and by their
personal bearing no less than by the
earnestness and eloquence of their
speeches should show to the most skep-
tical what worthy foes they had been,
and what sincere friends they are.
To these distinguished orators who
in the two great cities spoke for tho
new South must be added Mr.. James
Phelan, of Tennessee, who is just
elected to Congress in the Memphis
district, and who in his own district
and among his own Southern fellow
citizens proved himself to be, with Mr..
Trenholm and Mr.. Grady. man of
broad comprehension and sagacious
views. All of these gentlemen, it must
be understood, speak as men who,
without renunciation of their local feel
ing, of their State pride or of their
honor and affection for the men with
whom they stood fast for what they
held to be q true cause, own without
reservation its defeat and the conse-
quent total change of conditions in the
life around them. Thus Mr.. Phelan
says:
"Bitter to my taste as were the results of the
vivti sassy pftos-a-y-a..e rocorrvtfv<a
them, and convinced me Of the wisdom Of cheer
full submission to the will Of Him who brought
them about The union Of these States has
been preserved and declared indissoluble.
great and disturbing constitutional question
has been finally and forever settled, and slavery
has been forever abolished; 1t no longer tar
nishes the fair fame of great and free Repub-
ic Because it was involved in the question OF
constitutional right I fought four years in Its
defense. I tell you now, upon the honor of my
manhood, that would fight eight years, though
my hairs are white, against any attempt to re-
instate it in any portion Of this continent"
Mr.. Grady's speech was one of the
most striking that have been delivered
by any citizen of Southern State since
the war. 1t was very eloquent. His
tribute to Abraham Lincoln was very
impressive, and the effect of his address
delivered to that New England COM
pany will be most serviceable to the
ouutry:
''Great types, like valuable plants, are slow
to flower and fruit, but from the union of these
colonies came he who stands as the first typical
American, the first who comprehended within
himself all the strength and greatness, all the
| majesty and grace, of this Republic-Abrahan
Lincoln He was the sum OF Puritan and Cava
lief, for in HIS ardent nature were fused thi
| virtues Of both, and in the depths Of his grea
| soul the faults of both were lost; but he wa
| greater than Puritan, greater than Cavalier, IL
| that he was American and in that in his home
| ly form were first gathered the vast and stcr
ling forces of this Republic, charging it with sucl
tremendous meaning and so elevating 1t above
human suffering that martyrdom, though in
famously aimed, came as fitting crown to q lif
| consecrated from the cradle to human liberty
Mr.. Grady said also:
"The relations Of the Southern people witt
the negro are close and cordial. We remembe
| with what fidelity he guarded our defenceles
women and children, whose husbands and faith
ers were fighting against his freedom. To hi
| eternal credit be 1t said that whenever h
| struck q blow for his own liberty he fought Ii
open battle, and when at last he raised hi
black and humble hands that the shackle
| might be struck OF, those hands were innocen
Of wrong against his helpless charges, an
worthy to be taken in loving grasp by ever.
| man who honors loyalty and devotion. Rui
| fans have maltreated him, rascals have misle
him, but his treatment in the South to-day 1
| an honorable protest against injustice to thi
simple and sincere people Faith has beel
| Kept with him in spite of calumnious assertion
to the contrary by those who assume to speal
for US or by frank opponents. Faith will b
| kept with him In the future If the South hold
her reason and integrity. The new South /
enamored Of her new work. Her soul is stirre
| with the breath OF new life AS she stands
full-statured and equal among the people OF tn
earth, breathing the keen air and looking on
| upon the hmitless horizon, she understand
that her emancipation came because, in the II
scrutable wisdom Of God, her honest purpos
was crossed and her brave armies beaten
| This is said in no spirit Of tme-serving an,
apology. should be unjust to the South II
did not make this plain in this presence"
His closing appeal to New Englan'
whether she will permit the preju
dice of the war to remain in the heart
of the conquerors when it has died il
the hearts of the conquered" was mos
touching and impressive. New Englan,
certainly would be recreant to her owl
best impulses if the appeal were no
answered in the same manly and friend
ly spirit in which it is made.-Harper'
Hsekly.
l The ENroiua